Courtship of Ages Past: Tega and Spike
by Sleeping-force's-inside
Summary: Penultimate Instalment of the 'Courtship of Ages Past'-series. How Tega met Spike... R & E & R Epilogue On...
1. Prologue

**Category:**** Land before Time**

**Rating:**** T **

**Couples in Series:**** Littlefoot/Ali, Cera/OC, Ducky/OC, Petri/OC, Spike/OC**

**Couples in this installment:**** Spike/OC**

**Warnings:**** AU**

**Chapter:**** Prologue**

**Copyright:**** © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"You know, I just realized something…" Ducky mused. "Spike doesn't talk…"

"Huh, good point." Cera looked at the Spiketail-male. "Tega, you want to tell us something?"

"I wouldn't be sure what." She looked around shyly. "I don't have anything interesting to mention: we never actually courted and I certainly did not meet some Sharptooth-friends."

"So? I still would like to know how you two got together, exactly because you did not court." Ali pointed out. "From what I remember, Spike was never a guy to go out on his own."

"She got a point there." Petrie added. "But if you really don't want to, no one's going to force you."

"Well, perhaps I can tell a little story…" Tega relented. "But I have to warn you, I'm no story-teller."

"Yeah, neither are most of us, if you didn't notice." Ducky soothed her. "Littlefoot just got lucky that his Grandpa is a good Storyteller and he inherited the talent."

"Why, thank you…" The Longneck stated. "You make it sound like that is something bad."

"Just unfair." Ali soothed her mate. "Take a deep breath and forget these small ones."

"Hey!" Cera shot up. "Watch it, flathead."

"Here we go again." Her friends muttered. "Just start your story, Tega, ignore Cera."

"And that'll work out so much better?" Rana wondered.

"No, because I start ramming people when they ignore me." Cera grinned. "But I'll forgive you, Tega."


	2. Chapter 1

**Category:**** Land before Time**

**Rating:**** T **

**Couples in Series:**** Littlefoot/Ali, Cera/OC, Ducky/OC, Petri/OC, Spike/OC**

**Couples in this installment:**** Spike/OC**

**Warnings:**** AU**

**Chapter:**** Prologue**

**Copyright:**** © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Tega moved along with the rest of her herd, sighing in frustration once more. She really did not want to go to the Courting-day, but her parents had all but threatened to throw her out of the herd if she did not go.

It would be the third time in a row that she went, and she just knew that it would be the third time in a row she wouldn't find anyone. Was it her fault that most of the males thought her too unattractive?

So she had decided to not go to Courting this time, only to have her parents force her participation. What were they hoping for? That a blind male would come along and pick her? She had inherited her father's colors, but the dark colors that were favored among the males were a major turn-off in females, leaving her very much at the bottom of any male's list of favorite potential mates.

She sighed once more, walking at the back of the herd listlessly. She was so going to search for another herd, with or without mate, because if she had to go through another one of her mother's lectures she would go mad.

The area where they were heading was an almost-desert like place, with little vegetation, but a wonderful view for Sharpteeth for miles around.

She wouldn't even try this Courtship-day, she decided. She'd just see which herd would be willing to take her and be done with it.

Small clouds of dust got whirled up at her every step, her spiked tail swinging lightly as she passed a small stream.

The rest was already reaching the gathering, but she slowed down and turned to a group of small trees and ferns just a bit off the field itself. Might as well get dinner, she wouldn't miss anything anyway.

The dark-blue Spiketail entered the shade of the trees, finding to her surprise that she was not the only one who had decided to forgo Courting in favor of an early dinner.

He was dark-green – in other words, a guy the girls would fight over – but he was contently munching on some of the ferns in front of him. He didn't even seem to notice her approach him.

At least, she thought that until he looked at her and moved aside a bit, as if offering her some of the ferns he was eating.

Intrigued, she joined him, pulling some of the ground.

They ate in amiable silence then, even as the sounds of Courtship wafted over from the field. He didn't once look up, instead moving from plant to plant, just eating his fill.

She too looked only a few times to where her family was, ignoring them as they started to search for her. She was sick and tired of dealing with their pushiness.


	3. Chapter 2

**Category:**** Land before Time**

**Rating:**** T **

**Couples in Series:**** Littlefoot/Ali, Cera/OC, Ducky/OC, Petri/OC, Spike/OC**

**Couples in this installment:**** Spike/OC**

**Warnings:**** AU**

**Chapter:**** 2**

**Copyright:**** © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The male didn't speak up once, which was fine with her. Instead he kept eating up until someone came looking for him.

"Spike!" A female voice called. "Where are you?"

Tega looked up as an orange female entered the cluster of trees. "Oh, who are you?"

"I'm Tega, ma'am…" Tega answered, looking shyly at her.

"Oh, you're the one that herd was looking for?" She asked, chuckling lightly. "Some of them suggested you found a mate, others doubted it sincerely."

"What did the herd do?" Tega asked, not noticing that the male had stopped eating and was looking at her with an unreadable look on his face.

"Left." Came the short answer. "Dunno why."

"Great…" Tega frowned. "I was thinking about switching herds, but they just left me here…"

"You can come with us." The orange female offered. "Spike already seems to like you."

Tega looked at the male, who smiled at her and walked up beside her.

"He doesn't talk, by the way." The female grinned. "So don't expect him to ever actually say it." She chuckled as Spike growled lightly at her, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"Why?" Tega couldn't help but ask.

"I have no clue." The other shrugged. "You two coming? Preferably before my mate comes along to look for you."

Spike made a sound of irritation, but followed her nonetheless. Tega, having no clue what else to do, followed them both to their herd.  
"Are you her son?" She asked the dark-green male beside her. He shook his head.

"He was adopted by a Swimmer-family." The orange female had heard her question. "For obvious reasons he couldn't join them to Courtship so he came with us. He's a stationary Spiketail, while we are far-walkers."

"Oh…" Tega breathed, surprised.

"That doesn't even cover his friends." She added. "But it's your decision whether you want to go with him, or with the rest of the herd."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Tega remained awake that particular night, looking up at the stars while thinking about her life.

The rest of the herd was sleeping a short distance away, their chests rising evenly with each breath.

She honestly didn't know what to do. She had always been a far-walker: it was the only life she had ever known. But Spike had her intrigued… She looked over her shoulder at him as he slept peacefully just a bit outside the herd.

Then she sighed. As if he'd be interested in her! Then again… he was walking beside her constantly, and shared his green-food with her.

She groaned softly. Why couldn't he just tell her what his opinion about her was? Was it pity because her parents and herd simply abandoned her? Or was it something more? She buried her head in her front-legs, remaining like that for quite a while.

A soft, questioning sound had her look up. Spike was standing next to her, concern written all over his face.

She sighed, looking away from him. He laid down beside her, repeating the sound.

"It's nothing…" She told him. The look on his face left no doubt that he did not believe her. "Really."

He nudged her, looking at her with a demanding glimmer in his eyes.

"Why are you so nice to me?" She demanded, glaring at him. "And why don't you talk?"

He did not answer – to be honest, she hadn't expected it anyway – but her eyes widened when she felt a soft tongue lapping her cheek. He nuzzled her, purring softly as he did so.

For a moment, she just stared at him. Then she returned the nuzzle.


	4. Epilogue

**Category:**** Land before Time**

**Rating:**** T **

**Couples in Series:**** Littlefoot/Ali, Cera/OC, Ducky/OC, Petri/OC, Spike/OC**

**Couples in this installment:**** Spike/OC**

**Warnings:**** AU**

**Chapter:**** Epilogue**

**Copyright:**** © characters and places by United Pictures; © Plot and OC by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Aawww…" Ducky cooed. "Spike, I didn't know you were so romantic."

Spike was blushing, making an embarrassed sound as he looked away. The rest of the group chuckled in amusement.

"Must have been quite the shock to be introduced to a group of Swimmers as in-laws, wasn't it?" Littlefoot changed the subject quickly.

"Oh, I got warned." Tega shrugged. "And their faces were sooo worth it." She grinned at Ducky. "Apparently now of them expected Spike to find someone."

"In our defense, had you not wanted dinner at that exact moment, he wouldn't have." Ducky pointed out, poking her sister-in-law in the side. "So there…"

"We could still have walked past each other had he not offered me food." Tega countered.

Spike looked like it wasn't the first time his mate and sister were arguing.

"Reminds me of Trike and Dad." Cera mused as she watched them. "They're arguing the entire time too."

"Because someone told her father she was pregnant." Trike sighed in defeat while glaring lightly at his mate. "Nearly got me killed too… And now I need to hear him preach about 'how I should have waited' and so on."

"That was bound to happen, no matter when I got pregnant for the first time." Cera returned the glare.

"You could at least have warned me." Trike demanded exasperated. "I could have gotten a Head-start, you know…"

"It could be worse." Ducky pointed out. "He could have told you that your kids would get some aunts and uncles that are their age…" She called through her crest half-heartedly. "Like a certain mother of mine did."

Littlefoot looked mildly uncomfortable at that, but in the end it passed over even if it was not quickly enough for Ali not to notice. She decided to ask him once they walked back to their nest later on.

They kept talking for the rest of the day, the five sharing stories about more adventures they had had in their youth.


End file.
